Finding the motivation.......

So what might encourage us to lead a happy healthy fit lifestyle? We are all facing the challenges of temptations around us every day but we recognise that sometimes we have to take stock.

At my age and that of my friends (50s and 60s) we agree the we need to take extra care.  The usual things come over again and again when we discuss health and fitness issues....which is often :)

- blood pressure
- cholesterol
- mobility
- tiredness
- health scares
- batwings
- tummy fat
- rolls of fat
- ill fitting clothes
- and the rest!!

They say that we end up with the "face we deserve" now we also end up with the "body we deserves".

Lets face it none of us are saints and have lapses of common sense but if we continue to give way to excess we will seriously affect our health and longevity.

The New Year made me revisit my previous resolutions.  I have managed to maintain my weight by having a low carb diet and being mindful of portion control.  I make 95% of our food from scratch, its healthier and despite what people say it is also cheaper.  You know exactly whats gone into the making of the food and no-one has sneaked in hidden sugar.  I heard a celeb on one of the chat shows say "you would be surprised how much sugar is in spaghetti bolognese" !!!  If you make it - one of the easiest meals - you won't have any sugar!!

My friends and family support each other and all try to be as healthy as possible.  We compare notes, we groan if we add on a few extra pounds and moan if a dress doesn't fit.....

If you feel you don't have thais kind of encouragement around you maybe a support group like Weightwatchers may be the answer where weight is monitored and advice and are offered and a team spirit provides the motivation to succeed.

On the fitness front, my trusty fitbit provided me with constant feedback on my daily progress - I know this may be a little obsessive but each to their own.

I read health and fitness magazines which provide useful advice and recipes and help to keep me on the straight and narrow!

I go to the gym where I also see regular attendees and we talk as we work out on cross trainers, bikes and treadmills and it is surprising how quickly an hour goes by. I aim to go every day but with other commitments it probably is about 5 on average and surprisingly I really enjoy it which wasn't the case at first. I can hear some saying "Im told older that".....in my gym there a soup of eighty somethings who exercise regularly and are keeping agile and they also enjoy the social aspect of regularly meeting up.

Today I attended my second Pilates class of the week.  I have had a years lapse on attending classes and was encouraged to revisit as I am having twinges in my back and shoulder probably from slouching on the sofa watching TV!!  So my resolution is to have a session once a week.  I have a Pilates DVD and I know some people find this works for them as they can exercise at home but I find that the class works better for me as you are pushed out of your comfort zone and achieve more.

Its never too late to make changes - you feel better, look better and have far more energy with a leaner, fitter toned body!!

It is a matter of finding out what works for you - a visit to your doctor would be sensible and have a checkup particularly if you fall into older category and then devise a plan!!

Weighty Issues!

I mentioned yesterday the extremes of eating and the medical conditions some had developed.  There were many others who seemed to realise that they needed to take some radical action.  This may have been as a result of seeing some of the even bigger people on board or listening to the lectures on healthy living provided by the Spa staff who were emphasising the importance of diet and exercise.

The gym was very well attended and also the "boot camp", pilates and yoga classes.  Others did the "mile a day"walk on the promenade deck - again organised by the trainers to encourage people to do this in a group to support and motivate each other.

One of my hobbies is sketching and enjoy drawing people. Here are 3 people with different responses to the obesity problem.


                           Here is a lady who did a daily promenade walk!










.........and here is a chap who sadly couldn't resist a pint or two regardless of the hour!

....and here is a lady who did very little most of the time!

We are stacking up problems for ourselves in older age.  It is never too late to do something about unhealthy behaviour.  Intellectually we know this however, for some, emotionally,  seem to find it very hard to grasp the mettle. I am sure none of us want to give up the active lives we lead and want to continue as long as possible being mobile and healthy...........................surround yourselves with people who will encourage you without providing too much pressure and draw up a plan!!  This is where mutual support groups like Weightwatchers and Slimming World excel.  So to the action plan .............. 

Cellulite Busters

When did the word cellulite come into play?  When I was young no-one ever mentioned cellulite . However people did tend to wear more clothes and have more cover!  Nowadays with so much on show we tend to notice these imperfections .  Somehow the magazines seem to relish the thought that even celebrities can be afflicted and it doesn’t matter if you are fat or thin you can still have this badge of honour. 

It must be dreadful if at your most relaxed on the beach that someone somewhere is focusing their lenses on the offending part of your body – even worse if the photos then appear in the papers the following day shared with the world.   Happily we mere mortals are not subject to this kind of scrutiny but we do tend to be hard on ourselves if we find that the once firm legs,  bottom or arms have turned into “cottage cheese”.

About 5 years ago I noticed the back of my thighs were starting to show these frightening signs – I was staggered and I mentioned it to my husband and he said “I know” – of course the usual female response was “what do you mean you know?  Why didn’t you tell me?”  His then said drily “I was too polite to say!” Fortunately we share a strange sense of humour and both had a laugh about it.  He followed up with the usual supportive husband comments like ……”if that is all you have to worry about…”  and “ I love you the way you are….” 

As we women know its not only their opinion which counts but also our own.  I knew I had to do something about it – who knows this could be the thin edge of the wedge!  So I read up on the definitions and causes  and treatments. Here is one of the definitions......

Cellulite is nothing more than normal fat beneath the skin. The fat appears bumpy because it pushes against connective tissue, causing the skin above it to pucker.

http://www.webmd.com/healthy-beauty/cellulite-causes-and-treatments

There are extensive lists of possible causes including , hereditary, diet, weight, diet, lack of exercise………………

The jury is still out!

Like many I thought what could I do that would be a quick fix so tried various creams and apart from smoothing the outer surface of my thighs didn’t really do anything miraculous to change the appearance.  So I was determined to remove the half a stone I had acquired and also increase my exercise workout regime including more toning and pilates. I also used sugar scrubs which I think helped to improve circulation.

Additionally I read a couple of articles on a form of leggings which claimed that they helped in reducing cellulite and could be worn at the gym to good effect.  They are called Proskins and I decided to try them. I was skeptical at first but I have been pleasantly surprised and I am feel they have also significantly contributed to my cellulite turnaround.

This is what the company say on their website……

Proskins slim fabric has some pretty special cosmetic ingredients impregnated into it. Each ingredient has special properties that help you look and feel better, lose inches, moisturise and soften your skin and reduce cellulite just by wearing them.Proskins slimming leggings are very convenient as they can we worn as gym leggings, running leggings, as sleep wear or under conventional clothing. Whenever you wear them they will be acting as cellulite leggings. The special ingredients impregnated in the fabric include caffeine, aloe vera, vitamin E, retinol and ceramides.

www.Proskins.co.uk

I am pleased to say that my cellulite problem has virtually disappeared - but it does take time and some patience!

I have concluded that  exercise particularly is the key and but that there are other factors which I took on board which have helped too.

Any other experiences which you think have worked for you?

The Squeezed Middle

"If I knew I was going to live this long, I would have taken better care of myself!"

   George Burns

In addition to the gym I have derived considerable benefit from attending Pilates classes.  I revisited Pilates about a year ago after a long break.  I was a little worried about how I would cope with the sessions after such a long time and also I am now much older - how would my body respond? My concerns were groundless .  It did however take me a while to attain the level I remembered but with the help and support of the instructors I found my confidence grew as little by little I made progress.

For those of you who have not taken part in this form of exercise

“Pilates is a body conditioning routine that may help build flexibility,muscle strength, and endurance in the  legs,abdominal, arms,hips, and back . It puts emphasis on spina land pelvic alignment, breathing, and developing a strong core or center, and improving coordination and balance. Pilates' system allows for different exercises to be modified in range of difficulty from beginning to advanced. Intensity can be increased over time as the body conditions and adapts to the exercises.“ 

Wikipedia

Pilates was described to me by an instructor who said to think of yourself as a tree which needs a strong trunk to provide support to its branches. It did go through my mind that I hoped my trunk wasn’t too thick!

We hear so much about developing your “core”  (your trunk!) and I have found Pilates addresses this need.  My posture, balance and core strength have improved significantly and additionally I am much more toned. 

I aim to take part in at least 2 sessions a week.  Attendees in my classes are all shapes and sizes and ages. The instructor always checks for any injuries or problems so that they can take account of these in the session to ensure you do not aggravate the conditions further. 

There is sometimes a little voice in my head which doubts my ability but this is overcome by being involved in a group – we are all very supportive of each other and for the more competitive ones (like me) don’t want to be the one to fail. I am pleasantly surprised how flexible I am now and the exercises I can do with relative ease. 

Any other converts out there?

Useful link......

http://www.ageuk.org.uk/health-wellbeing/keeping-fit/how-exercise-changed-my-life/